On Thursday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) announced he is withdrawing his name from consideration for Attorney General in President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming administration. Gaetz stated that his decision was driven by a desire to avoid becoming a “distraction” as Trump prepares to take office in January. A staunch Trump ally and prominent figure in the MAGA movement, Gaetz shared the news on social media, noting that while he had “excellent meetings” with senators, he ultimately concluded that his confirmation process risked overshadowing the transition team’s priorities.
I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General,” Gaetz wrote on the X platform. “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1. I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”
I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024
Remember: Matt Gaetz was elected to serve in the next Congress. He resigned from the 118th Congress.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) November 21, 2024
Matt Gaetz’s nomination sparked controversy due to questions about his legal qualifications and his past legal troubles. The House Ethics Committee had been investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use against him, though the probe concluded without a report following his resignation. On Wednesday, The New York Times published a report revealing new details about the allegations. According to the report, findings from the House Ethics Committee investigation suggested Gaetz had allegedly used Venmo and PayPal to make payments exceeding $10,000 to two women in exchange for sexual activities. One of the women reportedly testified that she had witnessed Gaetz engaging in sexual conduct with a 17-year-old girl in 2017.
It should be noted, however, that the Biden-Harris politicized Justice Department investigated the allegations against Gaetz for more than two years and did not file any charges after determining that the witnesses lacked credibility. It is also telling that many of these new leaks to legacy media outlets only occurred after Trump chose Gaetz as his potential AG.
“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System. Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump wrote after nominating Gaetz, who has been loyal to the president-elect and one of his most ardent defenders.
